It is with regret that the Board of Largs Viking Festival has decided that it is not possible to have our Festival this year.
With the ongoing uncertainty caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, the Board believes that it would be an unnecessary risk to the health of the public and to the many volunteers who man and support the various elements of the Festival.
Even if the lock-down is lifted it is likely that large gatherings will not be encouraged and people may, understandably, not be keen to mix and mingle in close proximity. We have reached this decision after much thought and consideration but we believe it is the right decision.
If it becomes possible to deliver a truncated event at some stage later in the year, we stand ready to do so.
However at this time it is obvious that the Largs Viking Festival cannot go ahead as planned. The Board will now direct its efforts to planning and delivering the best possible Largs Viking Festival in 2021.
The Programme for 2021 will be published here once all the events are confirmed mid-July that year. Meantime the programme for 2019 has been left to give a flavour of what is normally on offer.
Please note that the Viking Festival of Fire will be held on the evening of Saturday 4th September 2021.
Largs Viking Festival 2019 Programme
This year the re-enactment group Swords of Dalriada will be in the Viking Village with Viking traders from Germany, Sweden and Ireland. Come and see how the Vikings lived in our living history 13th Century Viking Village. Entry fee of £5 Adults, £3 children, students and Concessions (over 60s) with Under 5s FREE gives admission throughout the day of purchase.
The Village opens at 11 a.m. every day with last admission at 4.30 pm. Please note that the Village closes on the Opening Day, 31st August, from 12.30 to 1.45 pm to enable the Vikings to participate in the Opening Parade and as required to facilitate Viking Skirmishes.
School visits to the Village are welcomed and normally double up with a visit to Vikingar! the town’s all year round Viking experience. Please contact Vikingar! on 01475 689777 for further details.
As well as our Viking Village there will also be:
A Scottish Food and Craft Fayre – Come and enjoy a shopping experience with a difference.
Owl Magic – with us every day, weather permitting. All the owls on show have been hand reared and are used to being handled.
Fun Fair – present on the Promenade Car Park throughout the Festival.
Largs Labyrinth – Situated behind St Columba’s Scottish Episcopal Church in Aubery Crescent, just a short walk to the North from the Festival Site. It offers a sacred space, the chance to take a mini-pilgrimage, and to gain a new perspective. “A maze is for losing yourself in, but a labyrinth is where you may find yourself”.
At weekends, there will be an aerobatic display, on-stage entertainment and a variety of street performers on the Promenade and at various locations in the town. We hope all performers enjoy their time with us.
While we do everything we can to deliver the Programme as printed, circumstances outwith our control do occur where performers are unable to meet their commitments, particularly the Military whose participation is always subject to operational requirements. We therefore reserve the right to change the programme as may be necessary but will always endeavour to provide an alternative event.
PLEASE NOTE: For reasons of safety, the flying of drones in the vicinity of the Festival locations is strictly prohibited.
Click here to download our Festival Programme
The following events are FREE unless otherwise shown – all times are approximate:
Saturday, 31st August
1.00 pm Opening parade from Morrisons to the Viking Village on the Esplanade
1.30 pm Official opening by the Provost of North Ayrshire Council
1.45 pm Largs Boys Brigade Pipe Band
2.00 pm St John’s Scottish Country Dancing.
3:00 pm Irvine and Dreghorn Brass Band
3.45 pm Strathclyde University Jazz Orchestra
4.15 pm Samba Sisters
Sunday 1st September
1.00 pm Children’s Circus Skills in the Arena presented by Ringmaster Parties.
2.00 pm Les Gitanes: Gypsy swing/jazz manoche
2.30 pm Timothy Terror: Family friendly, comedy freak show!
3.30 pm Largs Rock Choir
4.00 pm Les Gitanes: Gypsy Swing/Jazz Manouche
Thursday 5th September
8.00 pm Håkon Håkonsson Lecture
at the Valhalladrome Viking Experience Theatre, Barrfields, Greenock Road, Largs.
Organised by Largs & District Museum & Historical Society.
‘The Year 1000: Vikings and the Making of Scotland’
presented by Dr Adrian Maldonado,
Glenmorangie Research Fellow at the National Museums of Scotland.
Admission by donation • For information, call 01475 687 081
Saturday 7th September
11.00 am – 4.00 pm Braveheart Axe Throwing (between Viking Village and RNLI)
12:45 pm Arkansas Ramblers
1:45 pm St John’s Scottish Country Dancing.
2:15 pm Reely Jiggered: Celtic and folk fusion
3:00 pm Air Display by the Mark Jefferies Display Team
3.00 pm Cowal Community Orchestra
4:00 pm The McNeill Sisters
8.00 – 9.15 pm Viking Festival of Fire with torchlit parade starting at the Viking Village at 8.00 pm for a skirmish, fire dancer, burning of Viking longboat and spectacular fireworks display by 21CC Company
Note: The parade route includes a hilly section that may not be suitable for adults in wheelchairs. This is due to a section of the Promenade being closed as part of the required safety zone for the fireworks display.
Sunday 8th September
12.30 pm Children’s Circus Skills in the Arena presented by Ringmaster Parties.
1.30 pm Corda: A synergy of flute, whistle and harp
3.00 pm Clyde Coast Strathspey & Reel Fiddlers
4.15 pm Largs Churches Together: Open Air Service of thanksgiving for the Festival.
FRINGE EVENTS BEING HELD BY OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Saturday 24th August
10 am to 4.30 pm Largs Flower Show, Dunn Memorial Hall, Bath Street, Largs. Primary School children are invited to enter for the Largs Viking Festival Cup for the best exhibit of a Viking figure made using flowers, greenery and other natural materials.
Saturday 31st August
12 noon – Duck Race from the Gogo Bridge run by Largs Rotary Club
7.30 pm – Piano Man: The Billy Joel Experience, Barrfields Theatre, Largs. Tickets £15. http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/barrfields
Room, Gallowgate Square Finlay Quinn & Olivia Anderson
Feel good pop with a wee bit of indie
Sunday 1st September
Room, Gallowgate Square Emma Durkin – harp, voice, fiddle
Traditional Scottish folk with a pop twist (Prince, The Verve, Bowie & Oasis)
Thurs 5th September
Room, Gallowgate Square Open Mic – Free beer for performers
Friday 6th September 8 p.m. The Scrubbers present The Greatest Showwummin with full live band. The Barrfields Theatre, Largs. STRICTLY OVER 16s ONLY. Cabaret seating £15, Balcony seating £14 with big discounts for groups of 16+.
To book, go to http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/pintsize or call 01294 665001.
Friday 6th September 9p.m./ Mid. Room, Gallowgate Square.
Ryan McCluckie & Rebecca Laird
Saturday 7th September
1:00 and 3:00pm Lounge, Main St, Largs Fairy Stories by The McDougals
4:00pm – 6:00 pm ‘Messy Church’, Clark Memorial Church
9:00pm Room, Gallowgate Square The Wait – brand new from Robert Rarity
10:00pm Room, Gallowgate Square Ember Fall – Largs’ latest Rock band fronted by Kenny Doc.
Sunday 8th September
4-7 pm, Lounge, Main Street – Largs Folk Nights:
Paddy Callaghan multi-instrumentalist, who has taken his unique musical style worldwide
Friday 13th September
7.30 p.m. Barrfields Theatre, Greenock road, Largs
Scottish Chamber Orchestra: Mozart, Haydn and Nielsen. For further information visit http://www.sco.org.uk
Tickets £16, £14 and £6. Under 18s free. Carers also free.
Tickets available online from http://www.sco.org.uk, over the phone on 0131 557 6800 or from Barrfields Theatre on 01475 689777.
